5 Ways To Cut Costs And Still Play Lacrosse

Lacrosse is an incredibly expensive sport. Even at its most basic, the simplest elements required to play (a couple sticks and a ball) can cost hundreds of dollars. When one steps it up to full field lacrosse, uniforms, goals, field space, and padding all enter the equation. The costs can spiral out of control quickly.

So we have identified FIVE key areas where teams across the spectrum can cut costs, but still play a lot of lacrosse at as high a level as possible. Not all of these aspects of the game will be applicable to every program. And for some programs out there, NONE of them may apply. So if you have other ideas on how to cut costs but still play a lot of lacrosse, let us hear about it in the comments!

1 – Play Local

Long car or bus trips and flights not only cost money, but they also take up valuable time. If you can play local teams, do it. Playing a great team from another area is fun, and for college teams it can mean a lot for making the tournament, and be required because of conference alignments, but at the lower levels playing far from home is certainly something that can be limited. For college teams, they often pack a couple of games into one trip to lower costs. If you have to travel, that’s a great way to cut the pain in your wallet down a little.

The bottom line is that excessive traveling costs a lot of money. Hotels, gas, tickets, meals and more can all add up quickly. And then you add in the time spent going from one place to another, and it’s definitely something to avoid. 9 hours in a car for an hour long game is rarely, if ever, worth it, from both a monetary and time point of view. 9 hours of wall ball would have served the player better, and cost the family a lot less money and time.

2 – Learn To Work With What You Have

I am NOT advocating for people to use old helmets or gloves, and leave themselves open to injury. Get a good helmet. Get good gloves. But don’t feel like you have to purchase the best of the best. If you are a parent, your kid will outgrow their gear quickly, and they simply don’t need $200 gloves. If you are a high school or college player, and you buy your own gear, try to be reasonable. A higher mid range glove is often just as good as a top of the line glove when it comes to protection. If the team has gloves from the season before, and guys don’t want NEW, let’s say green, gloves, then let it slide. You have them already, work with them.

But this point is really most true when it comes to sticks. Many clamor for the new head on the market when their old head is just fine. Kids will say, “this stick throws bad,” and they might be right. But it’s probably not the head, or the shaft, but the pocket. Involved with a team? LEARN HOW TO STRING. BUY STRINGING MATERIALS. This small investment of time and money will save you endless dollars in the end. A new pocket in an old “crappy” stick can give it a whole new life, and no one has to lay out $100 for a new head.

Does this look excessive to you? No? You have a problem.

3 – Dial Back The Swag

Listen, most people out there love gear. I’m no exception. But it can’t be purchased to the detriment of your team. Want to look like a team? Matching black shorts and simple jerseys is STILL a viable option. UMass has done it for years, and they’re NCAA D1. So you can do it too. If you think you NEED swag to play lacrosse, you’re in it for the wrong reasons. It’s an added benefit to the game, and a lot of fun. But if costs are an issue, dial the dollars on sublimation and team socks and numbers on everything. In the end none of it matters, and is just for fun. So don’t break your own financial back just to look good. Play good, and you’ll look good.

4 – Partner Up

Find a local group to partner with and see how they can help you, and how you can help them! Maybe the local firehouse or police station has some former lacrosse players in their ranks. Or perhaps the local religious network is looking to get involved in youth sports. Talk to local car dealerships, businesses and even the municipalities. Go to town meetings, meet people, and see how you can get involved. Remember, if you don’t ask the question, the answer is always NO!

5 – Pass it on!

Let’s face it… you’re looking for help right now. Otherwise, you probably didn’t make it to the end of this post. But if you have, then you hopefully you picked up a couple of simple and useful tips. But this next one is a little different. It’s about reaching out to OTHER programs that need help, and helping them, without asking for anything in return. It’s something we all pray for, at least from time to time, but it doesn’t happen unless someone steps up and makes it happen. So BE that person or group, and maybe the giving will come full circle. Karma is a funny thing like that!

So there you have it! 5 Ways To Cut Costs And Still Play Lacrosse!

Do YOU have any thoughts on this subject? Something we missed, or didn’t consider? A totally outside the box idea? We want to hear it in the comments section!

About the author

Connor Wilson

Connor is the Publisher of LacrosseAllStars.com. He lives in Brooklyn with his better half, continues to play and coach both box and field lacrosse in NYC as much as possible, and covers the great game that is lacrosse full-time. He spends his spare time stringing sticks and watching Futurama.

How about a TRADE DAY – or buy and sell old equipment? For example you might have out grown your stuff but someone starting out would be willing to buy your old stuff…… In fact does anyone have an old XL helmet they want to sell for the sub master – Master league?

Oh ya, we were blessed at the beginning because a premier high school team in Oregon took an interest in our start up program and donated thousands of dollars worth of equipment. A lacrosse shop donated a bunch of stuff as did other lacrosse people. Now we work to find gear and coordinate gear getting into the hands of other start ups.here in Oregon and as far away as Montana. You really need to get the word out when you are starting up or when you know of a start up so gear can get in their hands. We need to work to keep this game affordable!

for the first year get the cheaper equipment just in case you don’t like lacrosse. also, for high school teams don’t get spirit wear if it’s out of most people’s budget. Also, if you want to be goalie don’t buy the equipment the first year, slowly build up the padding/protection in your possession.

for the first year get the cheaper equipment just in case you don’t like lacrosse. also, for high school teams don’t get spirit wear if it’s out of most people’s budget. Also, if you want to be goalie don’t buy the equipment the first year, slowly build up the padding/protection in your possession.

I’m all about the restringing an old head, I have 4-5 heads, but the head I’m using at the moment is one from a teammate of mine who used it freshman year, he’s now a freshman playing for Furman. Also I agree with @NordGoalie56 my first year I got the bottom of the line starter kit and I figured out I loved it two years ago. It does cost even more money to get better equipment you realize you might need, but you don’t need to spend as much in total on top stuff because you already have the basics. I slowly saved and got new stuff or got good used stuff from teammates. Great article hits a lot of points I agree with and went through thinking about after my first season.

I support my lacrosse and two of my kids, string your own heads and string for others make a little $ doing that. I always buy closeout shafts, most of the time the only difference is that the new model has different paint. I shop close out for most of my equipment, I know kids can get caught up in the newer is better but you can save a ton of $$ this way. I will buy new heads each season for my son, when he is done with them I bake them up and the become my indoor sticks. Lacrosse is really only as expensive as you make it.